Fiji Culture

Fiji culture is steeped in tradition and values, and is a place of family and religion. It is difficult to grasp a sense of the culture with only one visit. A place where tradition and traditional ways of life are still adhered to. A mesmerising place where the local Fijians will look in your car window and at first glance you can see the warrior within, then they break out in a huge beautiful smile and yell an infectious “BULA” and the world is good again. With their big friendly smiles, the Fijians are renowned as some of the friendliest people in the world. Your respect for their Fijian traditions and customs will not only make you a welcome guest in their villages and homes, but add another exciting dimension to your holiday.

Some basic rules of etiquette to observe when leaving the resort include:

Take off your hat when in the village, wearing one is an insult to the chief

When entering someone’s home leave your shoes outside

Do not wear hats or touch anyone’s head, it’s interpreted as a sign of disrespect

When visiting a Fijian village, it is customary to present a gift of yaqona (also known as kava) to the Turaga ni Koro (the village chief). The presentation is usually in his house and will generally be attended by some of the village elders who happen to be in the vicinity at the time and can quickly turn into a social occasion. Pounded into powder, the yaqona will be mixed with water and served.

A couple of other traditions worth experiencing include a Lovo feast – a traditional way of cooking in the ground, and a Meke performance. The Meke embraces traditional Fijian song and dance and tells legendary stories. Stay at Tropica and immerse yourself in Fijian culture. Take a look at our rooms.

LANGUAGE

One of the great things about this Pacific paradise is that everyone speaks English as well as Fijian or Hindi – although there are a few idiosyncrasies.

Any word with a ‘d’ has an unwritten ‘n’ in front of it – Nadi is pronounced ‘Nandi’ and the delightful cold, marinated seafood dish Kokoda, is ‘kokonda’. And a ‘c’ is pronounced ‘th’, as in the Mamanuca Islands.

Some handy words and phrases are:

English

Fijian

Pronunciation

Hello/hi

ni sa bula

nee sar bula

Good morning

ni sa yadra

nee sar yarndra

Goodbye

sa moce

sa more there

Please

yalo vinaka

yarlo veenarka

Excuse me

tulou

too low

Yes

io

ee or

Thank you/good

vinaka

veenarka

Thank you very much

vinaka vaka levu

veenarka varka levoo

No

sega

senga

Eat

kana

karna

Village

koro

ko ro

House

vale

va le

One

dua

du a

Two

rua

ru a

One more

dua tale

du a ta le

Why Fiji is One of The Best Places to Travel in the World!

Whether you’re seeking adventure, romance or simply want to unplug from the pressures of modern living you’re bound to find your slice of paradise here amongst the stunning Fiji Islands.